


Layton's Children and the Reign of Akbadain

by PokeMaster_Zelda



Category: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Layton's Mystery Journey
Genre: Blood and Gore, Dead People, Dissociative Identity Disorder, F/M, Magic, Regardless of what you say, Talking To Dead People, layton can trash talk me if he wants i say magic, people getting SLAUGHTERED, seriously a lot., this has magic and I'm sticking to it, this will DEFINITELY affect the franchise, use of magical items
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2019-12-26 18:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18288104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PokeMaster_Zelda/pseuds/PokeMaster_Zelda
Summary: Auntie Layton enters the scene! But although it seems like a happy reunion for the Layton family, it's far from such. Several hours after her visit, a mass murder occurs! And if it wasn't strange enough, the new statues of the princesses of Akbadain have been stolen! As Katrielle and Alfendi investigate the odd scene, they don't just uncover secrets best left below the ground...They find that some civilizations never rest, regardless of how many centuries have passed.





	1. Warnings

**Author's Note:**

> \- I do not own Lv. 5 or any of the Professor Layton cast! I only own my OCs, and you must ask permission to use or draw them.

\- I do not own Lv. 5 or any of the Professor Layton cast! I only own my OCs, and you must ask permission to use or draw them.

\- This is a sequel to a previous Layton fic I wrote called Layton Brothers: Devil's Child; you can find it-  
*Wattpad (@PacifinaxGenos)  
*Here on Archive of Our Own  
*Tumblr (@sintheyokai, search for the fanfiction or fanfic tag)  
*DeviantArt (@TwilightPrincess2008)  
*and Fanfiction.net (@PokeMaster Zelda)

\- Highly recommend reading the aforementioned fanfic before reading this one, as this one contains spoilers for LB:DC

\- Possible mature and sexual themes along with definite profanity.

\- Despite this being in the Layton franchise:  **THERE WILL BE MAGIC INVOLVED. I AM STICKING TO THIS YOU CAN'T CHANGE MY MIND.**


	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbery gone wrong

**A/N: Hello again! It's me, back with another fanfiction; this time a sequel to my sequel for LB:MR! I hope you enjoy!**

They had one job: sneak in, grab the statues and weapons, get them to the van, and drive off. Half the guards were out, so it'd be a cinch!

At least it would be if her partners weren't such klutzes.

A woman covered in black impatiently watched her comrades, another woman and a man also in black, attempt to open the glass case in the museum.

They had decided earlier that day that they were going to nab the recently discovered statues of the six princesses of Akbadain, along with each of their weapons.

Once the glass case holding the weapons was open, the man made the suggestion to pair the weapons with the statues so they'd have less to carry.

"Sure," the first woman agreed, "Start with the big ass staff."

The other woman only nodded, grabbing the large, intricate golden staff, topped with a deep purple amethyst, and approaching the statues on the other side of the room.

"Umm..." the woman said sheepishly, "Remind me which one owned the staff again?"

Her boss sighed and gave her an irked glance, "Ooleebroondoolee." she said. After hearing nothing, the woman turned to her employee to see her giving a wild stare. The woman groaned, "The one that's spelled 'Umbrundum'"

Finally understanding, the minion approached that exact statue. It was intimidating, despite the fact its clothes were not that grandiose; a large bang covered half the structure's face, only displaying one emotionless eye. It stood tall, slightly hunched, as if it were tired of standing, and one of its hands stuck out, curled in a loose fist.

As if it were originally holding something.

Stopping her admiration, the thief gently placed the staff in the statue's hand so that the gem pointed to the ground. She then turned to retrieve another weapon.

She didn't notice as the gem began to dimly glow, or as the statue slowly began to crack...


	3. Chapter 1: Black Snake and the Woman of Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imma be dead honest: this is the longest piece of bejeezus I've ever written and I just hope y'all like it

_**Word Count (not including a midway author's note): 10295 (Jesus christs FUCK)** _

**Time- 1:39 p.m.**

Hilda was tired.

VERY tired.

She had stayed up the night before, cracking a national drug ring she had been trying to bust for months, and Lucius had certainly tested her patience yesterday afternoon.

So needless to say, she  _really_  didn't want to deal with the senior lady who just walked in.

She was old, but didn't look as such. In fact, she was rather thin and curvaceous for someone her age. Her hair was curly, but not Sniffer curly, and was a blazing shade of white.

"Good evening!" she said cheerfully, "Is Alfendi Layton here? Or any other Laytons for that matter?"

Hilda held her temples. "No," she said, "He went out to lunch about 45 minutes ago."

The lady's eyes widened, "You mean he's OUT OF THE WORKPLACE for ONCE? How rude, he didn't even bother to let me know!" she said jokingly.

Hilda, too tired to realize such, raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

"Perhaps you wouldn't mind if I wait for him? And call someone over whilst I'm at it?"

Hilda sighed, simply shaking her head 'no'

"Thank you!" the lady chirped before handing Hilda a small bottle of liquid, which the agent, understandably, looked at quizzically. "Drink that dear," the elder said sweetly, "It'll perk ya right up. You deserve it for being polite in that sorry state."

Giving a loose nod, accompanied by a yawn, Hilda raised the bottle to her lips. She had barely taken a sip before she felt like her normal self. Whatever she had been given worked like magic! Hilda stared at the woman in disbelief as the latter pulled a small black box and a phone out of her bag, quickly dialing someone and putting the box over her throat. Hilda strained to overhear the conversation.

"Katrielle Layton, please come to Scotland Yard." The woman's voice had changed to that of a man, gruff and surly, "Someone is requesting you... No, they insist that you come here... Alright, we will await your arrival. Goodbye."

If Hilda wasn't in disbelief before, she certainly was now! She watched the woman proceed to make two more calls, each in a different voice:

After she hung up on the second person, she looked in Hilda's direction and winked with a playful smile. Hilda hesitantly smiled back. Who exactly was this woman?

***

**Time- 1:58 p.m.**

Alfendi laughed as his assistant, Lucy Baker, skipped about with his sister, Fauna. They had, unfortunately, been forced to leave Lou's house earlier than wanted because Fauna had gotten a call telling her to go to Scotland Yard (C'mon you two; you're gonna be headin' back at some time, why not now?).

As they began approaching Scotland Yard, Lucy spotted someone familiar.

"Oi!" she shouted, "Katrielle!"

Alfendi did a double take at the name. He looked at the entrance to see his sister chatting away with another woman with wavy brown hair, dressed in a long peachy orange dress and red, wintry cape. Both he and Fauna recognized the latter and went pale.

"Nope!" Fauna and Potty said in unison, backing up, "NOPEnopeNopenope timetogo becomingantisocial N O W."

Lucy, albeit confused, grabbed the duo in a death grip by the wrists before dragging them in the direction of the building. She called out again.

"KATRIELLE!"

The woman in question looked away from her chatting partner and smiled.

"Lucy! And is that an Alfendi and Fauna I spy?"

Both grumbled a small "Yes" in response.

"Fauna, sweetie, it's so good to see you again little sister!" the other woman cried out, trapping Lou's housemate in a forced hug.

"Mhm, yeah," Fauna said between clenched teeth, "Good t'see ya too, Flora."

"What are you all doing here, anyway?" Flora asked, "Kat told me she was called here."

Fauna raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Odd... I was too. What about you?"

Flora knitted her eyebrows, "I didn't want to say anything before, but I also received a call. Alfendi?"

The inspector shook his head towards his older sister.

"Suppose they knew you worked here?" Katrielle piped in.

"Tha's good an' all," Lucy interrupted, before pointing to Flora, "But who is-"

"Are you the Laytons and Reinholds?" a soft, American voice spoke from the entrance. The addressed people turned to see an officer standing at the door. The family glanced at each other before Fauna spoke.

"Yyyyeah? Who the fuck are you?"

The officer smiled. "If you'll follow me inside." she said, not answering Fauna. Hesitantly, the group went inside.

Once in, Alfendi took note of Hilda's semi bewildered look. The officer turned to them.

"We will wait here." she commanded.

And they did so for about 5 awkward minutes before Lucy noticed the officer was giving her an amused side eye whilst unbuckling her collar. Before she could say anything, however, she spoke in a louder and more British voice.

"My, my Alfendi, you didn't tell me you had a  _girlfriend~!_ "

In an instant, the woman was tackled by both Laytons and Reinholds, all crying "Aunt Okri!" (or "HOLY FUCKS" if you were Potty or Fauna). The woman gave a hearty laugh before, to Lucy's surprise, removing a wig.

"Now, now, settle! I know I haven't been around in a lo-"

_WHAM!_

Katrielle stood defensively, fist out.

"Kat what the fuck!?" Potty shouted.

"Nono, Al, it's fine, I deserved that! Jeez, Kat, I see you've gotten better at your socking."

"You left Alfendi in the middle of his  _coma!_ " Katrielle wailed in anger, "Over some  _job!_ Don't you care about your family!?"

Okri's face fell a bit. She slowly put her arms around Katrielle and hugged her close.

"That's actually why I had to go. If I hadn't at that time, Alfendi would've had a zero percent chance of waking up."

She patted her niece's head before Lucy finally shouted.

"Aight PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN."

Alfendi chuckled before pointing to Flora, "This is my sister, Flora Reinhold. My dad adopted her which meeeans..." he turned to Fauna, "Fauna is technically ALSO adopted."

Lucy then looked at a red faced Fauna, who sighed.

"Long story short, I told Flora to literally ship me off to some rando place ( _in a box_ ) when we were kidsbecause I didn't wanna deal with my new robo mama (I'll explain that in a bit Lou, hold the fuck up). Landed in South America, adopted the kids, somehow got back to England, saw my sister with Al's dad, got adopted myself."

Lucy nodded, eyes wide as she looked at the woman called Aunt Okri. Alfendi suddenly grabbed her shoulders.

"AUNTIE..." he said, "This is my ASSISTANT and... sweetheart?? Lucy Baker!"

Okri laughed again before flashing Lucy a smile.

"Pleased to meet you, in-law!"

Alfendi smacked his aunt upside the head, face scarlet.

"What's say we go someplace?" Okri suddenly suggested, "Alfendi, Fauna, I know you two just had lunch, but is anyone else hungry? Personally, I'm not, but Kat? Flora?"

The girls shook their heads.

"We could go to the museum." Flora shyly offered, "I heard they recently got something new added to their Azran exhibit: statues and weapons from the city of Akbadain!"

"Oh, Ernest went to see that with Sherl today!" Katrielle exclaimed, receiving a few odd glances and an amused eyebrow raise from her aunt. "Unrequited assistant and a dog." she bluntly explained.

"Sounds good, unless anyone has any valid objections?" Okri waited. Alfendi slowly raised his hand.

"No, Alfendi, being an antisocial workaholic does not count as a valid objection."

"Okay..."

So they set off into the streets of London, chatting and catching up on the missed years. Lucy listened intently as the Layton aunt rambled on and on about adventures, her most recent one being a classic "government shits messing with shit they're not supposed to and nearly wrecking the planet in the process."

Of course she didn't just tell stories; she also managed to slip in typical family teasing ("Settled in with a nice man, Flora? What about you Fauna?", "Alfendi for fucks sake what exactly have you EATEN while I was gone? By Heavens fuck, look at your SHINS!", "Katrielle Layton, there is a fine line between 'unrequited assistant' and 'future in-law'").

As they began approaching the museum, they were surprised to see people being quickly evacuated. The group ran across the street and Okri tapped a guard on the shoulder.

"The hell's going on?" she asked him.

"Some boy got bit by a snake that now refuses to leave him alone; he's having violent convulsions. We've already called police and an ambulance so just stay here." the guard replied.

Katrielle scanned the crowd, hoping to catch sight of Ernest or Sherl. She suddenly heard her name.

"Kat!" she saw a red and white beagle running up to her, looking bewildered.

"Sherl!" she cried out in relief before panicking again, "Wait, where's Ernest?"

Sherl did not respond.

"Sherl, come on, where is he?!"

Again, she did not receive an answer; she sprinted inside, dodging the attempted grabs by officers.

"Kat! Wait!" Alfendi shouted, the guard blocking him, "Let me through, that's my sister!"

The officer was soon on the ground, Okri having kneed him in the stomach.

"Move it or lose it, c'mon!" she ordered, the group taking chase to Katrielle.

They found her in a room with several Akbian artifacts. She stood at the edge, gawking in horror at a green haired college boy in the middle of the room.

His eyes were pitch black, leaking some liquid of gross consistency like tears. The same liquid poured from his mouth as he twitched violently, jerking about like a fish out of water.

What made the sight more disturbing, however, was the black snake loosely wrapped around his neck. It slithered around the poor boy's head, occasionally licking the black goop from his eyes.

"Ernest!" Katrielle shouted, grabbing a small pocket knife from inside her coat.

The snake turned its head to the detective, tilting it slightly in a confused manner. It suddenly hissed, slowly, as if getting used to the word.

"Er... Errrrneessssst..."

It looked at him and spoke again.

"Ihrrrrniihwoooolt (irniwoolt)"

It slowly removed itself from the poor youth's neck and began making its way towards Katrielle. It lifted itself up so that it was eye level with her.

"Tichahngoox.... Thhhhanksssss".

And just like that it was gone, literally disappearing into the shadows.

Snapping out of her shock, she ran to Ernest, who was no longer moving and surrounded by her family.

Okri was force feeding him a drink, every sip somehow ridding Kat's assistant's eyes of the black slime. As Aunt Okri continued pouring the liquid down Ernest's throat, Katrielle thought she saw a woman in the window.

When Ernest finally came to, the police and medical staff arrived. Okri slapped the chief medic in the face.

"Well LOOK who's LATE!" she shouted, a team already helping Ernest to his feet and out the museum, "You're no longer needed for saving; I managed to heal him just in time, unlike  _your_ sorry ass who took forever and would've arrived to a dead body had I not stepped in!"

"Inspector Layton, do you know this woman?" Alfendi turned to the speaker.

"Yes, Detective Britannia, she's my aunt."

Katrielle's head snapped towards the man in. "Britannia?" she asked, "What are  _you_  doing here?"

"I could ask the same to you Ms. Layton."

"We were going to come see the newest Azran exhibit when I heard Ernest got bit."

Britannia raised an eyebrow, "Oh? You haven't heard?"

The Laytons looked at each other before looking back at the officer.

"'eard wot?" Lucy asked.

"Hmm... I see. Inspector and Ms. Layton, perhaps you could prove more useful to this odd case than us." Britannia turned to Katrielle, "Both the statues and the weapons that arrived the day before yesterday were discovered to be missing this morning. And Inspector, I believe for your part, it's best you simply see for yourself. I pray none of you are squeamish."

He then led the family to a door that had been shut and plastered with warnings.

Promptly opening it, they felt their hearts stop.

Presumably three people, two women and a man dressed in black, were dead, all dismembered and disfigured in horrible, grotesque ways. The only mild death, Alfendi noted, was the woman in front of an empty exhibit, body cut cleanly in half and face flayed off.

The man had been sliced open, his own intestines wrapped around his neck and tied to a weapons rack. The other woman was completely destroyed, body parts scattered and head on a spear placed near a stone tablet.

It took most of the group's, excluding Alfendi and Okri, will to not vomit or retch at the sight.

"Well whoever did this sure had speed and patience." Okri said, scrunching up her nose in disdain.

"Let's start the investigation." Alfendi said, "Britannia! Make sure a file gets sent to the Mystery Room, I'll be there soon. Kat, I assume you're going to stay and ask around?"

His sister nodded, still looking a little shaken. "When Ernest gets better, can one of you make sure he gets here safely? I want him to help."

Flora raised her hand, "I'll stay at the hospital with your dog and bring Ernest once he recovers."

Alfendi nodded before wiping a finger on a newspaper, the black goop quickly appearing, "Managed to get it before Auntie rid of it all." he said when he noticed Lou staring, "I'll get Florence to test it, along with anything the snake put in him." Fauna suddenly grabbed her brother by the shoulder.

"Aunt Okri and I talked." she said, "She's gonna stay here with Kat and help investigate in her assistant's place. I decided I'm going with you. Also, she gave me this." Fauna held up a stone ball, just slightly larger than a tennis or baseball. "Told me to guard it for her, no clue why; government shits tryna mess with it I guess. Put it in your big ass pockets for me, will ya? I have none."

Taking the ball, he placed it in a lab coat pocket as he, Lou, and Fauna walked out of the museum and back to the Yard. As they did, Fauna caught a glimpse of a woman, clothed in black and purple, standing across the street from the museum. Not thinking of it much, she continued to follow her brother and housemate.

**A/N: We have now reached a split point! Throughout the investigation and story, there will be moments where I need to tell what all parties are doing. It's like first person, but in third instead (if that makes ANY sense). They will be distinguished by the beginning letter(s) of the character.**

**-Lo: Loopy, L: Lucy, Lu: Lucille**

**\- Fl: Flora, Fa: Fauna**

**And Alfendi will be A, Kat K and so on. For any new main characters that come up, I will provide a key as to what letters refer to who. You are also welcome to try and solve the investigation (though I think it'll be a bit obvious; ya never know though) in the comments, as you will be given clues from each sector!**

**Now, with that out of the way, you may continue reading:**

**Key**

**A- Alfendi's party**

**K- Katrielle's party**

**Fl.- Flora's party**

**N/A- There is no party, but there are still clues to be gained**

**\---------------**

**Time- 2:15 p.m.**

**(K)**

Katrielle watched as Aunt Okri came up to her from Detective Britannia.

"Okay, here's what I got." Okri said:

_The day before yesterday, they got the statues and weapons from a Mr. Randall Ascot and Henry Ledore in Monte d'Or. Both sets of artifacts were found in some Azran ruins from the ancient kingdom of Akbadain. Last night, the entrance doors of the museum were locked and the only way in could've been through the windows. This morning, however, not only did they discover the bodies and missing artifacts, but they also found the supposed getaway car parked close by. The morning guard also saw that someone had burned a small hole in the one of the empty rooms' back wall._

"I'll tell this to Alfendi, too, Kat." Okri said.

Katrielle simply nodded, taking this into consideration:

**3/15 clues gained!**

**\- Entrance locked**

**\- Parked escape car**

**\- Burned hole**

"Guard also gave me these." Okri said, handing her niece two photos, "It's the statues and the weapons. So we have a reference." Katrielle inspected the photos carefully.

The first one showed statues of six adult women, arranged in a neat row.

From left to right, they appeared as followed:

**\- A serene, yet mature looking woman with ear length bobbed hair and wearing a long sleeved long dress; she is posed so that it looks like she is holding a bow, pulling back a single arrow.**

**\- A pure, shy appearing woman with curly, rear end length hair and wearing a long tiered gown with a sweetheart neckline; she has one hand out as if she were either reaching for something below her waist or pushing away a crowd from below. The other is somewhat hidden, but clenched as if she were holding a weapon.**

**\- A boyish, toned woman with short, scruffy hair and wearing a tank top and shorts; she is in a war like pose: hunched so that her chest is close to her knee, legs bent and far apart, and arms up like she is wildly holding two of something in tight fists.**

**\- A bubbly, smiley woman with knee length hair and wearing a strapless bra-esque top and puffy tiered skirt; she has one leg up, bent at the knee, and she looks as if she is supposed to be holding a violin.**

**\- A cold, emotionless appearing woman with back length hair and a bang covering half her face, wearing a simple sleeveless long dress; she is slightly hunched and has one arm out to the side, as if she were once holding a staff.**

**\- A sweet, gentle looking woman with back length hair and wearing a puff sleeved knee high dress; she is posed to look like she's clutching her heart and reaching out for something coming down or releasing a bird.**

Kat then looked at the other photo:

**\- A silver bow fitted with garnets.**

**\- An obsidian dagger with a silver hilt, fitted with a singular sapphire.**

**\- Two identical wooden wands, blades coming out further down it and an emerald on the ends (basically it looks like a question mark without the dot- ?).**

**\- A golden violin and bow, two citrines symmetrically mirrored on either side of the instrument.**

**\- A large, golden and intricate staff topped with a fairly sized and deep purple amethyst.**

Soaking in the information, Kat began walking to ask around. Before she could, however, her aunt was tackled to the ground by a blue and brown blur.

"Aunt Okri!" she cried out as guards and officers simply stared at the cat-fight taking place. Okri was quickly overpowered and given a bloody face as the creature grabbed her bag and began rummaging through it. Kat took note of its appearance.

It was a woman of sorts, her thin, torn hair the color of muddy ice, and eyes glowing with the color of the frozen sea. Both her icy blue nails and slightly yellow teeth were long and sharp, her skin a gross shade of french gray and clothes made of still bloody animal pelts. She began panicking as she, apparently, couldn't find what she was looking for. She gave the older Layton a sneer and snarled.

"Wichihrih eex eet?"

(Where is it?)

When Okri didn't respond, the woman launched at her and harshly grabbed her by the throat. She asked again, in a scream.

"WICHIHRIH EEX EET!?"

"Aunt Okri! Let her go!" Katrielle threatened the woman. Okri put her hand on the her attackers'

"Paxihd eet awn. Sweend eet eerawoo xawn awswih a beetshich~"

(Passed it on. Find it you son of a bitch~)

The woman, in a rage at whatever Okri had said, slammed her head down before leaping up the walls and out the high window. Katrielle hurried to her aunt.

"Auntie! Are you-"

"I'm fine, Kat, don't worry," Okri said, clutching the back of her bleeding head, "I'm just glad she didn't go after you. 'Specially after what I said."

"What was that thing looking for?"

"I'd really rather tell you once the whole family and friends are gathered in one place. C'mon,  let's try starting, take two."

**4/15 clues gained!**

**\- Aunt Okri's attacker**

They went around, first going to the museum's caretaker, Kyuray Tohr.

"Mr. Tohr," Katrielle tapped the man's shoulder, gaining his attention, "Might I have a word? I'm Katrielle Layton."

"Ah, Ms. Layton! I've heard of your achievements." he smiled, "I assume you've come to ask me about the thefts?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was just waking up when I got a call from the guard who opens up saying there had been a murder in the museum! Not only that, but the new exhibits had been stolen as well!"

Katrielle put her chin in between her thumb and forefinger. "I see..." she mused, "Would you mind speaking to my brother at Scotland Yard? You can testify to him." Mr. Tohr frowned slightly.

"I see no reason to suspect me, but be it as it may, I'll do that." he said, "I suggest, however, you talk to the guard who opened up the museum this morning: Ivgaw d'Keez. He might have something. Hope to meet you again Ms. Layton."

Saying goodbye, Kat and Okri began searching for the guard. They found him in the back room, inspecting a hole.

"Mr. d'Keez?" she called out, the acknowledged guard turning around, "My name is Katrielle Layton; is it true you were the one to open the museum and discover the crimes this morning?"

"Yes." the guard said, before hastily adding, "But it was not me who did it, in case you're wondering. I know that is the suspicion with most people who discover crimes. I'm not sure where he is, but there was a man who saw me come up to the museum this morning. He was taking a Stagecoach London bus. Tall, lanky, brown and scruffy hair."

Katrielle nodded, "And when did you come by to open up?" she asked.

"6:30, I believe."

"I see... Aunt Okri, can you tell Scotland Yard to check the London Stagecoach bus schedule? And if anyone got on at 6:30 this morning? If there is, make sure they get sent to the Yard"

"Sure thing, sweetie."

"And Mr. d'Keez, if you could head on over to Scotland Yard for questioning, that'd be great!"

"Very well." Ivgaw shook Katrielle's hand, promptly leaving without saying anything.

"Alright!" Kat exclaimed triumphantly, "That's all the suspects we can get to for now!"

Okri pointed to the hole, "That's wonderful, Kat, but why was he looking at this?"

Kat peered at the decent hole, large enough to put her fist through. She smiled childishly, trying to cover her laughs.

"It's a glo-"

"Katrielle Layton, if you finish that sentence..."

"You're smiling too~!"

"I am and I hate it!"

"I'm kidding anyway. It's obvious that this is the hole found after the murder and theft."

"No person could fit through a hole that small, although an animal could." Okri pointed out.

Katrielle nodded, quickly noticing oddities about the hole. There was something black around the edges and inside, along with pale pink petals. Kat quickly realized it was a black goop, similar to the one Ernest had been leaking. She also noticed that, despite the scorch marks, the hole was slightly wet, and a small puddle had formed directly in front of it.

 _Odd..._ she thought,  _How could it have something destructive and painful while also having such pretty petals? Be damp with a puddle whilst still being scorched? What even went through this hole?_

Okri suddenly tapped her niece's shoulder, "C'mon Kat." she said, "They're bout to start letting people in and closing off the murder scene. I'll call the others and we'll head on over to your office."

Albeit slightly disappointed, Katrielle nodded and followed her aunt out the museum. On the way out and across the street, Kat saw five women, all gathered near an alleyway. For some odd reason, she thought they looked familiar, but she dismissed it and continued trailing behind her aunt.

**6/15 clues gained!**

**\- Stuff around scorched hole**

**\- Familiar women**

**\----**

**Time- 2:15 p.m.**

**(A)**

The crime scene reconstruction device hummed, displaying the brutal scene once more for the trio to see. Fauna grimaced, although she didn't retch at it like the first time. Lou, on the other hand, gagged to see the mauled bodies. Placid simply stared before Potty came out and grinned.

"According to the file," he said, "The city of this exhibit, Akbadain, was one where war and bloodshed was commonplace among rival clans. Seeing the scene awash with crimson glory... it's just so fitting and fantastical~!"

Fauna rolled her eyes, "I still dunno how you can talk like you're having an orgasm when it's a mauled body."

"Now, now, Fauna, you know living with Aunt Okri changed me!"

"Yeah, but even as a scrawny, shinless and stick kid, you were  _nothing_ like this."

"Wot were it like?" Lucy butted in, pausing her evaluation and analysis of the crime, "Livin' wiv that woman? Why  _did_ you 'ave t'live wiv 'er?"

"Aunt Okri?" Fauna raised an eyebrow and grinned with a wild joy.

"Simply put, she was the best aunt to have around!" Potty exclaimed with the same joy, "We would always have to go when Dad went on some adventure or another."

"Hm? Wouldn't Flora 'ave been old enough?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Fauna nodded, deadpanned "Alfendi, when you were born, she was... what, 14?" Alfendi nodded at this in affirmation, so Fauna continued, "And Dad didn't go on another adventure after the whole time travel fiasco until she was, like, 17 or 18, which made Alfendi 3 or 4 and me 12 or 13. So yeah, she would have been perfectly capable of babysitting!"

"Sooo... why did-"

"If she didn't run off to join him every time he went."

"Oh."

"Al, remind me what our little joke was when you got older?"

Alfendi smirked, "There she goes, having a 'let me join you bastards' moment again. I'm sure it's just a phase." he chuckled, "Then we'd pretend to sip tea from mugs."

Fauna cracked up at this memory, and Alfendi continued talking to Lucy.

"Because Flora would leave, we often had to go to Aunt Okri's house in the woods. And because she lived in the woods, there was often a lot of wild animals trying to break down the door. So she taught us certain animal weak points."

He let Lucy soak this in before continuing.

"And I already told Loopy this, but she taught me a bit of fencing, including rules and tips neither my father nor my uncle ever taught me. Then- Fauna you remember how she taught us how to throw knives and what the most lethal attack points were?"

"And how you and I were pretty much the only ones to use said lessons?" Fauna smiled at her little brother, "Of fucking course I do!"

Lucy giggled before feeling a sharp pain in her head. Suddenly, Loopy was in control.

"Wot's 'appenin'?" she quickly asked, receiving a synopsis of both the crime and the conversation with Lucy. Loopy quickly pulled a notebook from her back pocket and began recording everything said. When she got an odd look from Fauna, she smirked.

"Star'ed makin' sure tha' Longstockin' an' Barde are up t'date wiv stuff told t'me."

After she was caught up, she looked at the holographic display and licked her lips.

"Lookie 'ere~" she purred, "A brutal murder of three people tha' I didn't do~! Why, I 'appen t'be quite jealous!"

"Alright, that knocks you off the board." Fauna said under her breath.

Loopy zoomed in on one of the bodies and gave it a look of confusion. Alfendi noticed.

"Lily, what's wrong?" Potty asked.

"Who th' fuck puts flower pe'als an' thorns in a robber's body?" she spat, sounding as if she had had enough bullshit already. Alfendi and Fauna looked at each other, then back to Loopy. She got a discouraged look that looked like she was about to cry and contemplate death.

"A-An' they put wa'er in 'em too? Th' fuck do ya expect th' pe'als an' thorns to  _do_???  _'oney_ **no** tha- tha's not 'ow we  _do_ this you  _ **ignorant SLUT**_ _._ "

"There's petals and water in the body?" Potty asked, raising an eyebrow. Loopy looked up with wide, disheartened eyes.

"YEs!" She wailed, "REd we neED t'arRESt them they-  _they'resofuckingstupidohmy_ **god** "

While Fauna rubbed her despairing housemate's back in comfort, Alfendi inspected the bodies closer.

Loopy was right.

Stuffed deep in the wounds of all three victims were pale pink flower petals and pale yellow thorns, whereas water was slowly dripping from each victims' mouth.

 _Odd..._ Placid thought.  _ **Isn't it?**  _Potty agreed,  ** _Aunt Okri told us the doors were locked, and you could only go through the windows. To carry flowers and water inside through a window would be tough, even for Fauna._**

**7/15 clues gained!**

**\- Petals and water in bodies**

The door to the Mystery Room suddenly opened, and Florence came in looking both confused and frustrated.

"Al?" she said the name as if she was surprised he was in there.

"Ah, Florence!" Placid came back out, and Loopy caught sight of Fauna giving him a slight frown, "Did you manage  to get tests on that substance and Greeve's blood?"

Florence gave a simple silent nod, the look of frustrated confusion never leaving her sickly face.

"Yeah, and you're going to *a-achoo!* to find it a bit weird." she said with a tone of urgency. Alfendi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? How so?" he asked.

"Al... that boy was  _poisoned._ "

The room was silent until Alfendi quickly went to grab his phone.

"You don't need to call the *sniff* the hospital, Al." Florence said, albeit not very calm.

"Florence, my sister's assistant is DYING!" Potty suddenly reappeared in a violent rage.

"ALFENDI IF HE WAS GOING TO DIE, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A LONG WHILE AGO!"

"What do you  _mean_ he would've died a long while ago?!"

Florence violently held up a small report, "That wasn't  _any_ snake poison he got; it was  _ **black mamba poison.**_ "

Alfendi froze. He gave the forensics expert a look of utter terror, as did Fauna.

"That boy should've died within seconds after being bit, and yet *cough cough**achoo!* and yet he's somehow still alive? I think he's perfectly safe."

Alfendi calmed, Placid returning.

"Sorry t'in'errupt, but wot th' fuck's a black mamba?" Loopy suddenly asked nonchalantly. Fauna looked at her housemate.

"A hella deadly snake native someplace in Africa." she answered, "If I remember correctly, one bite can kill, like, 10 or somethin' men in a few seconds. It's basically a snake carrying a death sentence in its mouth..."

"Loopy, how do you not know what a black mamba is?" Alfendi asked, deeply confused. Loopy shrugged.

"Snakes aren't my thing. I don't deal wiv 'em."

"Al, focus." Florence turned the groups attention back to her, "*achoo!* The goop is the other thing."

She sneezed before taking a deep breath.

"I can't identify it."

"What?" Potty was back out again.

"I have tried three or four times already to put it in a reactor of some sort; every time, it nearly *sniff* killed me and Sniffer! I only used a few drops of the slime and barely a drop of any given reactant. I tried *achoo! sniff* I tried decomposing it in a way, and all that came out was a mixture of dried blood and some sort of toxic, black blood that we had to isolate because *cough cough* because it made Sniffer woozy and me nearly collapse. Al, I'm going to be completely honest with you: "I don't  _what_ you gave me, but you  _never_ should have even considered bringing it here."

Alfendi was confused beyond his normal limit. An unidentifiable mass of, pretty much, blood, and Ernest surviving a black mamba bite... Two things that his genius brain seemed to draw a blank on...

And both Potty and Placid hated it.

**9/15 clues gained!**

**\- Mamba poison**

**\- Mysterious substance**

"That's all I have to report Al. *achoo!* Sorry I couldn't help that much." Florence sighed as she turned. She stopped for a bit before turning back around.

"Oh! By the way, *cough* Hilda wanted me to give you this. Apparently some woman *sniff*  had her clothes robbed some time near the murder and theft. This is what she told Hilda."

She placed a note in Alfendi's hand and left.

Alfendi began reading the note aloud:

_\- A woman with green hair seems to be the perpetrator._

_\- Woman claimed to have seen two wands strapped to perps back; pointed one at the woman._

_\- Perp said something in a foreign language before, as the woman claims, she was launched back by a cloud of dust that made her feel violently nauseous._

_\- Managed to see the perp steal: a business top and skirt, a thick sweater, two pairs of jeans, a pair of shorts, and two tank tops before passing out._

_\- Woke up to find a puff skirt, baggy hoodie and knee high party dress were also missing._

Potty curled a lip in disgust, "Why would Hilda want me to take such a feeble and common case? She mocks me!"

Fauna shrugged, "Maybe she thought it had somethin' t'do with the case. Ya gotta admit, that robbery's  _awfully_ close to the time of the reported crimes. Could be related, just sayin'."

Alfendi simply sneered and put the note in a back pocket. He'd have to deal with it later.

**10/15 clues gained!**

**\- Stolen clothes**

"Prof?" Lucy was suddenly back out, "I'm bout t'go ge'ma sarnie from th' community fridge, jus' le'in ya know."

And with that, she walked out, heading down the hall to the lounge. On her way, she heard the  chipper voice of her favorite janitor.

"Oi, Luce!" he said, mop over his shoulder, "Aren't ya s'possed t'be in the Mystery Room wiv' Alfendi?" he said.

"Aye, bu' I go' 'ungry an' told 'im I were goin' t'ge my sarnie from th' lounge."

"Haha! Oh, Lucy, luv, yer 'unger always seems t'be at it's 'ighest!"

Lucy giggled at this, "You know me, Dusty, 'ungry 'ungry Lucy!"

At this, the duo laughed and parted.

Although Lucy could've sworn that, when she passed the steel pen cup on Blaine's desk, Dustin's reflection was that of a shady woman in a hoodie instead.

**Time- 2:27 p.m.**

Potty slammed the desk with such strength, it nearly snapped in two.

"DON'T MOCK ME MR. TOHR! As it is proven by the alibis of Mr. Ivgaw d'Keez AND Mr. Beist Ander, YOU are the only culprit left! And I've half a mind to say you're collaborating with your wife!"

Loopy sat in the back with Fauna before whispering over.

"It weren't him." she said.

"How can ya be sure?" Fauna asked.

"Fauna, 'un, you forget tha' I'm a criminal too, an' tha' I can read them be'er than Red could ever  _dream_. I can read their faces, their movements, their  _voice_ , and in the end I'll know: They're like me, or they're not."

There was a silence between them as Potty tried to break the curator into a confession he didn't have.

"Poor Mr. Tohr..." Loopy mocked with a pouty face, "'e's scared~..."

"Obviously..." Fauna smirked.

"But it's not a look of 'I've been caught!'," Loopy said, "It's a look of terror tha' ya rarely see in people. Th' fear of dyin' at th' 'ands of a madman. A look of 'I dunno wot I did wrong... but please stop.' I should know... Me an' Barde gave Beelzedad tha' look alot."

When Potty realized that he could not break Kyuray, he angrily let him go.

"I don't  _understand!_ " he shouted, "How could all three suspects have such tight alibis!?" He took a deep breath and slammed the table.

"Lily, Fauna, c'mon. We're back to square one."

**11/15 clues gained!**

**\- Tight alibis**

**Time- 2:41 p.m.**

They sat, again in the Mystery Room, Potty pacing back and forth, hands entangled in his crimson hair, repeating "I don't understand" and "How?!" like a mantra.

Suddenly, Hilda came in.

"Al, don't mean to bother you, but did you get my note?"

Potty snapped his head towards her and growled a "yes" before going back to pacing. Lucy pointed at the keys in Hilda's hands.

"Why d'ya 'ave-"

"Needed something from the supply closet, but I just could't find Dustin! So I had to get a key from the Commissioner. And since it's literally next to you all, I thought I'd ask about the note."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, "Dusty? Odd, I saw 'im earlier today!"

"Did you?" Hilda exclaimed, "Well, that's a relief to know he's not locked up somewhere." And after that, she left.

Potty sat down, hands trembling with pent up anger as he spoke.

"I still don't get how-"

" _AHHHHH!_ "

There was a loud piercing scream before the slam of a door, presumably the supply closet door, as Hilda burst back into the room, eyes wide with fear and anger. She glared at Fauna, then Lucy.

"I don't know  _which one of_ ** _you two_** owns the snake, but it's  _not_ funny to put it in the supply closet!" she shouted.

The room was silent as Hilda tapped her foot.

" _Well?!_ Fess up, one of you! Who owns it!?"

"Hilda..." Potty said, previous anger being replaced with a slight fear for the worst, "I know both of them well enough to know that they'd  _never_ own a  _snake_ of all things."

"Well,  _someone_ put a snake in the closet, and I want to know-"

"'ilda..." Lucy interrupted, "Wot color were the snake?"

"Black, why?"

The room became silent once more before Lucy asked another question.

"Were- Were there anyone  _int'_ closet?" she asked. Hilda shrugged dramatically.

"Lucy, I don't  _know!_ All I saw was a snake before I panicked and closed the door!"

Fauna, Lucy, and Alfendi looked at each other. Alfendi asked Lucy, "Do you know where Loopy keeps her weapons?"

Lucy nodded, "She keeps a 'atchet int' office actually, since she started bein' 'ere." she went to the back room and quickly returned with said hatchet. Alfendi got up and looked at Hilda.

"Pertinax, you better steel yourself; we might find something worse than you want."

Hilda nodded as the quartet went back out in the hall and stood in front of the supply closet door. Slowly, Hilda reached out for the knob. Hesitating for but a moment, she swung the door open, Lucy tightly holding the hatchet.

It was as Alfendi feared, both Placid and Potty.

A long, black snake, just at eye level with Lucy. But that was not the worst of the situation. The snake was not just there in the closet, but was wrapped around something.

That something was the  _ankle of Dustin Scowers._

He had collapsed, and was propped up against the shelves, his arms seeming to be the only things to prevent him from entirely slipping.

"Dustin!" Lucy called out.

No response.

"Prof..." Alfendi turned to his assistant, noticing tears, "Ya- Ya don't think 'e's-"

"No." Potty said, pointing at Dustin's face, "Look."

Lucy turned back to see, from underneath his bangs, a viscous black liquid was running down his face, barely missing his slightly agape mouth. It hit Lucy and Fauna at the same time.

Whatever had been protruding from Ernest, was now coming from Dustin; the snake in front of them was most likely the same to bite Ernest. But what did it want?

The snake made no movement towards them, only hissing. It suddenly spoke, like at the museum.

"H...Hiiiillldaaa..... Cheeeslehdaaa... Luuuucyyyyy..... Sleh-ooooosssheeeer..." It then looked at Dustin, "Duuussstiiiiin... Dooowoolteeeen..."

The groups eyes went wide and faces pale.

It had been learning their names.

"Mond... Are ya causin' trouble again, luv?" A very familiar voice came down the hall. The gang turned to see Dustin, his face devoid of any emotion. Lucy was the first to growl.

"Who are you? Who did I talk to int' hallway?"

"Dustin" did not smile, or grin. In fact his face never moved a muscle as he reached outwards, curling his fingers in a slow, beckoning motion. He spoke again, but this time, it was a woman who spoke, quiet and monotone.

"Mawnd Tans. Shawmihr."

(Mond Tanz. Come.)

The snake seemed to understand, and began uncoiling itself from the janitor's ankle, moving towards the fake Dustin. As soon as the creature was wrapped around the imposter's leg, they dissipated into shadows, the shadow of a woman escaping down the hall as the gang simply stared in shock.

_Thud! Crash!_

Dustin had finally collapsed; apparently the snake had been keeping him up. He groaned, the black goop vanishing from his face. He looked up.

"Guys??" He said feebly, "Wot... Wot just 'appened?"

**12/15 clues gained!**

**\- Shadow Dustin**

**\----**

**(Fl)**

**Time- 2:28 p.m.**

The trip to the hospital had been a bit long, about 15 or so minutes, and Ernest rushed to a room. Flora sat and watched as he lay there, sleeping.

She was lost in thought. What had exactly happened? She had only caught a glimpse of the snake before it disappeared, and yet she was certain she had seen it before... perhaps in a book? She noticed the beagle at Ernest's side and smiled.

"You're worried about him?" she asked. The dog nodded. "Don't be. Aunt Okri's elixirs usually keep people alive after something like that."

"Usually, she says." Flora felt her smile grow wider as she heard the dog spoke.

"I can hear you, ya know. I've met a lot of talking animals in my life."

The dog gave her a bewildered look. Flora giggled.

"Oh don't be so surprised, Sherl. I heard you talking to Katrielle earlier."

"How do you know Kit Kat, anyway?" Sherl asked accusingly.

Suddenly, there was a groan as Ernest woke up. He looked around tiredly before his eyes landed on Flora.

"Miss... Miss Layton? No, you're not Miss Layton... Where-Where am I?" he asked, voice groggy.

"In the hospital, Pinstripes. That snake bite did you something nasty."

"Hello, Ernest." Flora smiled at the boy, "My name's Flora Reinhold; I'm Katrielle's sister."

"E-Eh?!" Ernest stuttered, "Miss Layton has a sister?"

Flora giggled before she noticed something outside.

It was a black snake, coiled on a tree branch leveled with the window. Flora saw nothing wrong with it, but Ernest began freaking out once he noticed.

"I-It's back! It followed me here!" he shouted.

Flora raised an eyebrow, "That's the snake that bit you?" she asked, "What's that bird doing so close to it?"

"Bird, what bird?"

"The little robin a few good inches away from it, looking at us!"

"Ms. Reinhold, are you alright? I see no bird." Ernest gave her a quizzical glance.

Flora was very confused. She rubbed her eyes and looked again.

Sure enough, there was a robin unnervingly close to the black snake outside. The snake, having noticed it was now being watched, slithered down and off the tree.

"It's leaving... Has it decided to stop torturing me?" Ernest whispered. Sherl rolled his eyes in response.

"Pinstripes, you're being dramatic."

Flora was not listening to the quarrel, however.

Why had she seen the bird, yet they didn't?

**13/15 clues gained!**

**\- Illusory bird**

The doctor suddenly came in, looking astonished.

"Mr. Greeves?" he said, "Are you trying to build up any immunities?"

Ernest furrowed his brows and slowly shook his head. This seemed to frighten the doctor more as he handed Flora a report.

"This came from Scotland Yard after they tested his blood," he told her before muttering under his breath, "This boy might be a god..."

Raising an eyebrow, Flora scanned the report.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the words "Black mamba."

She did a slight double take. "Ernest..." she said.

"Yes, Ms. Reinhold?"

"Youuu... should be dead."

"What?" Sherl exclaimed, "Dead?" Flora nodded in affirmation, showing the report to the dog before handing it to Ernest, whose face had gone worryingly pale. When she was sure he had read it entirely, she asked.

"So how do you feel?"

"Emotionally? Rather terrified, although proud I survived a bite like that!" Ernest said, keeping his voice surprisingly steady, "And physically, I feel fine! I don't feel as if I'm dying or weakening."

"Hmm..." Flora simply said.

**14/15 clues gained!**

**\- Ernest's health**

Before she could say any more, her phone began to ring. She answered as quickly as she could, "Hello?"

"Flora?" the voice on the other line replied, "That you?"

"Aunt Okri! Yes, it's me."

"Good. Hey, how's the Greeves boy?"

"He says he's fine, Auntie. Feeling great, for that matter!"

The line was silent for a while before Aunt Okri spoke again.

"I see... Well, listen here, I'm bout to call Alfendi, but I called to tell you that we're meeting at Kat's agency. If Ernest is up to it, I'm sure he'll show ya the way."

"Okay. We'll try and be there as soon as we can."

Saying her farewell, Flora hung up before standing from her surprisingly comfy chair.

"Well, Ernest, I've been told we're expected at Kat's office." she said, "And since I've never been, would you mind leading the way?"

Ernest gave her a soft smile, nodding as he got up from his bed.

"Not at all, Ms. Reinhold!" he chirped. Flora giggled.

"Please, call me Flora."

**\----**

**Time- 2:58 p.m.**

**(N/A)**

Katrielle and her aunt sat in her office, happily chatting and catching up. Okri refused to talk about the attack at the museum, saying she would later before moving on to a different topic, usually relationship status or old memories.

Her stomach suddenly growled, Kat's soon following. Okri chuckled.

"Leave it to a good clean murder mystery to make ya hungry." she got up with a small grunt, "I'm gonna go get food for us to eat. You hold the fort, and let the others know where I am if they get here before I do."

Kat nodded, and Okri took her leave. Kat sat in the silence of the office. It honestly felt odd without her infatuated assistant and talking dog. She just thought it to be...

A bit too quiet.

Katrielle would never admit it to anyone in her family, but she had a fear of being alone for too long. Living in the woods with Aunt Okri meant she, Alfendi, and Fauna would often be alone when their aunt had to head to the store.

She still shuddered at the memory of the wolves.

She had been about four, with Alfendi being twelve. Fauna had gone with their aunt, as Okri had seen Alfendi a fair age to look after his little sister on his own. However, instead of keeping a close eye on her the entire time, Alfendi had let her play outside as long as she stayed in his line of sight from the large kitchen window.

While she did do just that, playing with handmade dolls and other various toys, she had noticed how quiet it was. She looked towards the window, and remembered not seeing Alfendi there; presumably, he had gone to the bathroom.

But at the time, Kat had not known that, and so little her had panicked. It hadn't helped that soon after, she had begun to hear growling. She remembered the immense fear she had felt when she looked towards the edge of the woods to see a pack of wolves, which, due to poor little Kat's size back then, appeared much bigger and much more threatening than they would to someone of normal size.

She remembered how she whimpered and shook, feet frozen to the ground. They had kept getting closer, creeping closer... and closer...

Her heart stopped speeding as she remembered how Alfendi had suddenly burst out with a knife as a wolf lunged at her little self. Grabbing her, Alfendi had had the wolf down in a matter of seconds, hands coated in the animal's crimson red blood.

Ever since, Kat had always had the fear of quiet, empty places. She always got the brooding feeling that something would come and get her like before.

She  jumped and snapped out of her memories as the agency door opened.

"Kat? Aunt Okri?" Alfendi called out into the seemingly empty place. Kat gave a silent sigh of relief.

"Auntie went to go get food for us, so it's just me right now." Kat called back as her siblings and friend entered the room. She noticed Alfendi take a stone ball out of his pocket and place it on her desk.

"What's that?" she asked, picking it up almost immediately after he sat down beside Lucy on the long couch.

"Careful Kat," Fauna said, "Auntie Okri gave it to me to guard."

"So why did Al have it?"

"Don't got pockets."

"Ah."

The agency door opened once more, this time a chipper voice spoke.

"Miss Layton! Are you here?"

"Yes, Ernest, I'm in here."

Ernest hurried to the voice, Flora and Sherl following behind.

"Golly, Miss Layton, I didn't know we'd have this many clients today!"

Kat's head dropped in disappointment, "Ernest, these aren't clients."

When she was given a look of confusion, Placid stood up and shook the boy's hand.

"I'm her brother, Alfendi Layton." he then pointed to Lucy, "That's my assistant, Lucy Baker"

Fauna gave a sharp whistle to get Ernest's attention.

"Name's Fauna; I'm Flora's sis, which legally makes me Kat's too."

After Ernest introduced himself to these new people, Katrielle waved her arms about wildly.

"Since everyone's here, except Aunt Okri, can we discuss what we found? I'll start, if no one minds?"

No one objected, so she started summarizing Aunt Okri's and her finds.

"Despite a clear attempt at escape, a scorched hole in the back and open windows, an escape car was still parked outside. There was a bunch of stuff around the hole: water, flower petals, and, oddly enough, the same black goop Ernest was spewing. Aside from all that, Auntie got attacked."

Placid leaped up, "Attacked?!"

"Yeah," Kat affirmed, "Some crazed, icy looking lady launched at her and tried to strangle her. They had a short conversation in some foreign language, and I guess Auntie said something that the other lady didn't want to hear, because after about two sentences, she slammed Auntie's head onto the ground and ran off!"

There was a silence in the room before Katrielle turned to her elder sister, "Flora, what about you?"

Flora put a finger to her chin, "Well..."

"Your assistant might be a god."

Kat did a double take, "Beg pardon?"

"We got his doctor report from Scotland Yard," Flora continued, "And it said that he was bitten by a black mamba. He should've been dead. Also, the snake reappeared, we all saw it, but only I saw a bird next to the snake. It was a small robin."

"So... Ernest is fine after being bitten by a death carrier, and two animals? One of which only you saw?" Kat summarized. Flora nodded. "Alright... Alfendi, your report?"

Her brother sighed, Potty coming out, "Nothing much, sadly." he said, "Aside from water and flower petals in the victims' bodies, all the suspects had air tight alibis. We tried testing the goop, and it nearly killed our forensic scientist. I got report of a meager clothes robbery halfway through the case, and overall, a genius mind like  _mine_ got stumped!"

Lucy lightly smacked him, "Prof, ya're forgettin' summat!" she said. When she received a raised brow, she gave an exasperated sigh before turning to her friend.

"I've told ya 'bout our janitor, Dustin, right?" she asked. Katrielle nodded.

"Well, earlier today, we found 'im int' supply closet, passed out an' leakin' th' same black stuff your assistant were leaking from 'is eyes! We asked 'im wot 'appened, an' all 'e said 'e remembered were, when 'e went to th' supply closet, 'e noticed 'is shadow weren't 'is own, but tha' of a woman in a baggy 'oodie and jeans, carryin' a staff. 'e said th' door opened on it's own, 'e saw a black snake, an' tha's th' last thing 'e remembered!"

_A black snake? A different shadow? How is that...?_

**15/15 clues gained!**

**\- Lucy's account**

**Conclusion reached!**

"I've got it!" Katrielle exclaimed.

"Huh?" Alfendi raised an eyebrow, flicking away a crimson strand that had fallen in front of his eyes, "Got what?"

"I've solved both the murder and theft, of course!"

Flora's eyes widened, "Really now? So then, tell us what you think!"

Kat spun on her heel to turn to her elder sibling.

"The statues came to life!"

There was an awkward silence.

"Kat..." Fauna groaned, "I know your whole schpiel is 'The truth is stranger than fiction', but isn't that a bit far fetched?"

The detective stomped her foot, "Now, now, hear me out!"

"Here's how it begins!" Katrielle sat on her desk.

"Initially, there were three robbers that would later appear dead. To make their job easier, they tried to put each  weapon with the statue that owned it. However, this proved false as they gave the one statue her staff. This caused the statue to come to life and realize that she and her companions were, quite literally, being robbed. Panicking, the staff became a scythe in which the new woman used to slice open the thieves. She freed the rest of the statues, and they all tried to escape out the front door. Finding it locked, they went to the back. They then turned into different substances: fire, water, flower petals, and the black goop from Ernest (Unfortunately, those are the only ones who left traces). Using these new forms, they escaped, the fiery one going first."

Katrielle made sure everyone's attention was still on her before continuing.

"Of course, these people are from the past, so their clothes were easy to point out. Thus, the clothes robbery. Moving on, the staff owner also owns the mamba, which, for reasons still unknown, stuck around to wait for someone to bite. Cue when it bit Ernest; it follows him to the hospital, only leaving once it knows it's been spotted. It goes to Scotland Yard, and bites the janitor so the woman who became the goop can impersonate him!"

The room was dead silent. Potty gave his little sister a dark chuckle.

"Alright. Say we  _were_ to believe that. Where are they now? How would we find them? Why was there motive to bite an innocent boy like your assistant?"

Katrielle huffed, crossing her arms, "We just have to find people who look like them! I have a photo of the girls' faces, so it shouldn't be too hard!" She began playing around with the stone ball mindlessly.

"What have you got there, Kat?" Flora pointed to the object and asked.

"Something Okri gave to Fauna, who gave it to Alfendi before I grabbed it. She was told to guard it."

"Well, she's not doing a very good job now, is she?" Flora giggled, Fauna quickly flushing pink.

"Definitely not." Kat chuckled in reply, making poor Fauna turn even more pink.

She began inspecting the stone in her hand. It had six gems, each placed in a spot where, had the stone been cubic, it would've looked like a die with only ones. A garnet on top, a sapphire on the bottom, and an emerald, citrine, amethyst, and diamond circling around it.

"Looks like a puzzle, if you ask me." Flora said, Alfendi and Fauna trying and failing to hide visible groans.

"It does, doesn't it? The question is, what is the puzzle?" Kat mused.

"Well, seeing Aunt Okri still isn't here, why not try to solve it?"

Out of curiosity, Katrielle pressed the sapphire on the bottom.

It clicked before springing up again.

Both she and Flora soon realized it was a simple click in the right order. Now, what  _was_ said order?

"Try alphabetically." Flora suggested.

The others began gathering around as Katrielle pressed the amethyst. It sprung back up.

Wrong.

"It's a dumb idea," Alfendi pitched in, "But try number of letters, least to most. If they have the same amount,  _then_ do alphabet."

Interested, Kat pressed the garnet, six letters. It stayed down, so she moved on to the citrine, C and seven. The stones popped up.

Wrong again.

"Color of the rainbow!" Lucy suddenly shouted out, before realizing that'd be the same order that they tried.

They stood around Kat, silent as they tried to solve the puzzle. Suddenly, in a quiet voice, Ernest spoke.

"Birthstones."

They all looked at him to see his pupils were far too dilated and dull for him to be alright."

"Eh? Ernest?" Lucy said, "Art al'reet (Are you alright) lad?"

"It's... the birthstones..." he repeated, as his pupils gained life again and returned to normal size. He noticed everyone looking at him and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

Katrielle raised an eyebrow. "You just said the answer was in order of birthstones, don't you remember?"

Ernest cocked his head to the side, "Nnnnoo?"

Katrielle, albeit confused and a little creeped out, began testing the offered solution.

Garnet, January. Stayed. Amethyst, February. Also stayed. Diamond, April; emerald, May; sapphire, September; and lastly, citrine, November.

There was a slight whirring as the stone split into two even hemispheres and opened up.

Correct.

Kat peeked inside to evaluate the contents.

Two silver bracelets decorated with garnets, a silver ring topped with a sapphire, a single emerald earring, a gold hairband with a dangling citrine, and a simple diamond necklace.

Alfendi scoffed, "Doesn't seem that important. I get most of them, but why guard a hairband?"

Katrielle smirked, "Maaaagiiiic~~" she said jokingly, as she reached for said hairband. Before she could, however, the top went flying, quickly returning to it's other half.

The group stood in shock as the room grew silent again.

_WHAM!_

They jumped as there was a loud thud against the window. They turned to see a woman, hair the color of muddy ice, eyes a piercing icy blue, and bloody pelts adorning her stick thin body. Kat recognized her as the woman who attacked Aunt Okri. The woman gave the group an eerie smile as she spotted the stone in Katrielle's hand, baring her sharp, yellow tinted teeth.

"Sweenasleheer..." she whispered, "Ee swawoond eet~! Tichih Cheegich Preeihxtihx weesleh bih xaw prawood~~!"

(Finally... I found it~! The High Priestess will be so proud~~!)

Backing up a bit, the group stood in a defensive huddle. They didn't realize as the room grew colder, the glass ready to shatter, until the woman pounded the glass with both fists, the window giving way into a thousand shards.

The creature stood, not caring about the bloody cuts she had received from the fall. She slowly began approaching the gang, staring intently at the little stone in the detective's hand.

"Geevih eet...  **Geevih eet...** _GEEVIH EET!!_ " she screamed, lunging at the frightened Layton.

(Give it)

There was a flash of red as Kat closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the woman was on the floor, sliced cleanly in two.

They then noticed as Flora's shadow elongated, and a head slowly emerged from the blackness. What had come out was a woman, decked out in a black, baggy hoodie and jeans, carrying a large scythe. The party watched in disbelief as the blade receded, the original scythe transforming into a staff topped with a deep purple amethyst.

It was only then did they hear the pounding on the door. The new woman turned, and only at that moment did Katrielle recognize her.

It was the statue that had the bang over half her face.

The woman, face devoid of feeling, reached a hand out and spoke.

"Awpihn..."

(Open)

The door swung open, and Okri was quick to tackle her family in a protective hug.

"Babies, what happened!?" she managed to get out between pants, "Wh-Why was the door frozen shut?!"

Alfendi had barely pointed to the dead body on the agency floor before his aunt growled.

"She was after the ball, wasn't she?" she asked menacingly. Katrielle nodded as Okri hugged her.

The shadow woman cleared her throat, still deadpanned, as the others returned their attention to her. She lightly hissed, and a black snake came through the window. It slithered, coiling around the woman's body until it rested comfortably around her neck like a scarf. It then lifted its lower half, pointing it at Ernest, who reasonably stepped back.

"Tichat awnih, Mawnd?" she said, face never moving.

(That one, Mond?)

The snake, in reply, seemed to nod. The woman made a noise of questioning before suddenly reaching her hand out to Katrielle. Ernest immediately stepped in front of her.

"I-I won't let harm Ms. Layton!" he shouted in an attempt to be confident. Okri quickly pulled him away.

"Kid, stand down. Ya don't know what you're getting into." she then turned to her niece, "Kat, give her the ball." Alfendi and Fauna gave her an offended look.

"Auntie, you  _told us_ " Potty began before Okri harshly cut him off.

"I know what I said!" she took a deep breath and chose her next words, "But it's hers."

The woman still waited, ever patient, until Katrielle cautiously walked over and placed the ball in her waiting palm. She noticed how her eyes were glued to Alfendi.

Saying nothing, the woman of shadows gave Ernest one last look before she dissolved into shadows, escaping out the window.

Again, the room fell into silence. Everyone then turned to Okri.

"Auntie, I think you have some explaining to do."

"I know." Okri hung her head, "Well, I suppose I should-"

"Oh shit!" Everyone turned to Fauna, then they noticed Ernest and felt the same panic.

He was having another seizure, jerking about with black slime dripping from only one eye this time. However his other eye fared no better, as it constricted and dilated at a fast and unusual pace. It didn't take long for them to notice the black foam gathering in his mouth as his body snapped to attention, the crack in his spine clearly heard.

The gang stood and watched as he swayed back and forth ever so slightly.

He collapsed to the ground.

**A/N: CONGRATU-FUCKING-LATIONS. If you managed to read this far, you have pretty much read the equivalent of perHAPS two Magic Tree House chapters. I HOPE no other chapters will be _this_  long, but don't be surprised if they are.**


	4. Chapter 2: It's No Fairytale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm losing interest in this... but after nearly three months of waiting and me being a lazy ass, here's the next chapter!

**A/N: Sorry this took forever, I've just been REALLY out of it lately (that and I wasn't really proud of the word count for a good long while)... But on that note, I hope to finish this story, so I'll try to post more often!**

**A/N 2: The foreign language in this is one that I wrote myself. I wrote my own alphabet and pronunciations of letters (because I'm THAT lazy to not play or watch Azran Legacy and get clues from there). The language is, no surprise, called Akbian. I will also provide translations for ACTUAL languages and I'm sorry if they start to get annoying. Now you may proceed.**

_**Word Count: 7214** _

Five figures, all gathered around in the back of a dark alleyway. The youngest held up her forefinger, a single dim light glowing from the tip.

"Wichihrih eex Ooleebroondoolee?" the eldest asked, pushing a strand of crimson hair behind her ear and careful to not hit the bow on her back with her hand.

(Where is Umbrundum?)

"Pr-Prawbahbisleheer shahooxeenig t-tirawoobislehih..." the second youngest of the group stuttered, dagger in hand

(Probably causing trouble...)

" _Roodih... Eerawoor wawrdix shoot eerawoor ihslehdihr xiwooltihr, Preesha..._ " an emotionless voice came echoing from the shadows.

(Rude... Your words cut your elder sister, Prica...)

A woman, Umbrundum, emerged from the shadows of the alley, her staff grand and beautiful compared to the black hoodie and jeans that she wore. Her older sister gave her an irked look.

"Wichaht chahvih eerawoo bihn oop taw?" she asked.

(What have you been up to?)

"Ahx Preesha xaheerx... Mawnd chahx swawoond xawmihawnih, ahnd chih weesleh ahreevih shawmih neegichitswahsleh..."

(As Prica says... Mond has found someone, and he will arrive come nightfall...)

The third eldest sighed and shook her head in response to her sister.

"Fooeetih ahn awd baweer... trayed taw sweegichit mih..." Umbrundum told the clearly disappointed sister.

(Quite an odd boy... tried to fight me...)

"Ee chahvih ahslehxaw swawoond a mahn... chim ahnd chix axeewooltahnt peefooih meer eentihrihwoolt." the shadow woman stated, sending the youngest into a fit of giggles.

(I have also found a man... him and his assistant pique my interest.)

"Eerawoo? Eentihrihwooltihd? Swooneer!" she teased.

(You? Interested? Funny!)

"Chix xawoosleh eex xipsleheet een tiwaw, Shawreeootahnah... wicheeslehih chix axeewooltahnt, tichrih. Ee wawndihr..." the second eldest mused.

(His soul is split in two, Corioanna... while his assistant, three. I wonder...)

She pulled out the stone ball and tossed it to the third youngest, who caught it.

"Awn ahnawtichihr nawtih, Ee rihtrayevihd tichim. Ahsleh eenixeedih."

(On another note, I retrieved them. All inside)

The third youngest grinned, quickly proceeding to open the ball and pull out her emerald earring. She put it in her left ear before taking her third elder sister's diamond necklace and handing it to her. The ball went around, with each sister, except the second, removing an item. The eldest, her garnet bracelets; Prica, her sapphire ring; and Corioana, her citrine hairband before making quick work of placing her hair into a comfortable ponytail.

"Ooleebroondoolee, ahrih eerawoo awehahrih tichaht-" The eldest looked to the sister in question before she was interrupted by said sister.

(Umbrundum, are you aware that-)

"Eerihx, Ahleesah. Tichih Eeshihrx. Ee xahweh awnih ahtahshgoo a wawmihn ihahrslehayer."

(Yes, Ajiza. The Icers. I saw one attack a woman earlier.)

This caused Ajiza to sigh in exasperation.

"Tichihn wih moowoolt rihmaheen lawweh." she said before turning to the third youngest and third eldest, "Veerdahn, Gahlslehnzhoo, shihp wahtishich. Wih weesleh waheet oonteesleh Mawndix shichaweeshih shawmihx."

(Then we must remain low.... Vydan, Gajlnx, keep watch. We will wait until Monds choice comes.)

After this was said, Corioana's finger returned to normal, the light disappearing as they sat in the darkness, waiting for nightfall.

**Time- 3:05 p.m.**

It hadn't taken Ernest that long to stop foaming and leaking goop, but he had been forced to lie down on the long couch for a bit.

The room was still in a silent state, no one really daring to speak. Ernest suddenly realized just how many people were standing up and felt a pang of guilt. He began to get up.

"Mr. Layton, Ms. Baker, I can get up if-"

"NO." Aunt Okri fiercely said, pointing an index finger directly at him, "You will keep your ass right in that couch and not get up until we are satisfied with your health! So lay your ass back the fuck down!"

"Greeves, listen to my aunt." Alfendi warned, "She told us herself that she has the beating skills of... um... Kat remind me again?" he turned to his sister. The brunette gave a small smile.

"A hormonal teenager who's just been denied chocolate on their period." she managed to say with a semi-straight face. Alfendi held back a laugh before turning back to Ernest.

"That. So I suggest if you don't want to have any broken bones, stay down."

Ernest, only slightly amused from the previous joke, nodded and layed back down again.

Katrielle noticed that Lucy had quickly fallen asleep against the wall. How, she had no clue, but with a smirk, she lightly slapped her friend. She notice her ginger hair grow a slight shade of bright red rather quickly and backed up. A pair of angry red eyes opened up.

"Not fuckin' funny, Faun, I thought we agreed: no smackin' me when I'm asleep." Loopy said. Katrielle raised an eyebrow.

"Lucy? Are you al-"

"Who th' fuck are you?" She turned to Alfendi, "Ya know this bitch?"

Placid closed his eyes, sighing, "Loopy, I would very much appreciate it if you didn't call my sister and Lucy's friend a 'bitch'."

Loopy raised an eyebrow and gave the very confused detective a look-over.

"Seems t'check out. Wrong foot, eh, love?" Loopy held out her hand in greeting, "Name's Loopy Lily. Ya know Longstockin'?"

Kat cautiously shook Loopy's hand, "Yes... Al, what's going on?"

"Ah, right," Potty came out and put his fingers to his eyelids, "You weren't around to meet Lily. Long story short, Daddy issues lead to the Lucy Baker you know to have a split personality like me. Only she can't share memories with other personalities like I can."

Katrielle looked at her friend, "How many?"

Loopy smirked and held up three fingers. "There's Longstockin', li'le Scotland Yard girl; Barde, who's shy as fuck and can't 'andle th' most basic tasks; then there's  _me~!_  The crazed serial killer: th' York-Lanc Fox~~!" She gave Lucy's friend an insane smile, then looked around the room, giving everyone a look-over.

"Well, well, who've we go' 'ere? Th' whole gang an' family, Red?"

Potty chuckled, "Yep." he then turned to his aunt, "And  _still_ waiting for an explanation from our aunt!"

Okri sighed and dropped her head in minor shame. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you..." she said, taking a few deep breaths before beginning her story.

"I'm pretty sure you all knew that my last adventure was not  _actually_ a simple government rebellion because they have something they shouldn't. I'm your aunt, I don't take jobs that boring; I'd die in a snap! No... While it is true they had something they shouldn't have, they didn't know at first. Obviously, that thing was the ball I was carrying around. Since you all opened it, I guess y'all saw what was in it?"

Seeing the group nod, Okri continued.

"Those items aren't exactly normal jewelry pieces ya find at home, and that hairband (yes Alfendi, knowing you, my nephew, I knew you'd question it) is of the same- call it what you will, I'll call it danger capacity- of the jewelry. As cliché as it sounds, put in the wrong hands or misused and you're conducting the end of the world. Didn't wanna risk the government trying to use it improperly."

Fauna raised her hand.

"Okay, I get that, but what's the big deal? Kat nearly died because some..." she gestured to the dead body, "Crazed bitch was after it."

"And with good reason." their aunt stared at the body and numerous glass shards on the floor, "Those things belong to the six empirical princesses of Akbadain. The statues that were stolen."

The room grew quiet.

"Kit-Kat," Sherl whispered, "Doesn't that mean... the woman you gave the ball to..."

"That was Ooleebroondoolee." Okri answered the pooch, "The princess of shadow."

"Eh?" Kat gave her aunt a surprised look, "You can hear him, Aunt Okri?" she then noticed everyone, aside from Flora and Ernest, giving Sherl wild looks. Her aunt nodded, "Guess everyone else can too."

Loopy gave a wild grin, eyes almost glowing. "A talkin' pooch! Now  _this_ is interestin'!"

Sherl instinctively backed up from the crazy eyed killer.

Potty dug through his ears for a bit before taking a deep breath, "OkaY! Ignoring the fact that the dog talks, what other princesses are there, aside from... Ooleebroondoolee....? What's their deal?"

Okri took a seat on top of her niece's desk.

"Well, listing them from eldest to youngest," she began, "There's: Ahleesah Shreemaw of flames, Ooleebroondoolee Shayewoolt of shadows, Gahlslehnzhoo Spahfah of stars, Veerdan Green of flowers, Preesha Bloo of pools, and Shawreeootahnah Kaye of light. As for their whole schpiel, the rumor is, when the Azran Dolls destroyed the civilization, Akbadain was warned by one of their mercenaries, Aurora. The king and queen of Akbadain, Teetahn and Shawximeeah, agreed to go down with their city, but refused to let their children suffer a death from rebellion. So, the princesses were told to become statues until the time came where they would be safer than they were then. They just listened and did that, leaving their enhancory ( **enhance-ery** ) items behind and weapons separate."

"Auntie, I'm pretty sure 'enhancory' is not a word." Flora piped in.

"That's what they were called by Akbians, Flora, I'm calling it by the same damn name." Okri replied, "Each princess has a magic ability pertaining to their title: Ahleesah, fire; Oolee, shadows; ya get the idea. Those items in the ball were called 'enhancory items' because they, as their name pretty much suggests, enhanced each princess's natural ability to a nearly god like level. It's why they're hella dangerous when they're misused."

Suddenly, there was knock on the door. No one moved a muscle.

Another knock, a bit louder and quicker this time. Aunt Okri began walking to the door. Alfendi and Katrielle gave her a bewildered stare.

"If you're worried it's one of those bitches again," she pointed to the body, "Let me ease your conscious." Okri said.

" _They don't knock like that._ "

She went to answer the door while the others stood, processing the story and information told to them.

Aunt Okri had never been one to lie to her family when they were children, lest she considered them too young (of which she did rarely). So even if this  _did_ seem like nothing more but a child's fairytale...

Could it really be true?

Were six ancient princess really just walking about the streets of London?

Okri suddenly came back into the room, a woman trailing behind her.

"Kat, honey, do you-" Aunt Okri tried to say, before being interrupted.

"Katrielle Layton, I might  _actually_ require your help." the thin, dark skinned woman said with a hint of desperation.

"Emilianna Perfetti? You? Need  _my_ help?" the detective exclaimed in playful mockery.

Alfendi heard Loopy mutter under her breath, " _Oh Jesus fuck it's logic bitch._ " He had to hold back a laugh at the insult. The restraint caused the criminal analyst to turn and look at him.

"Inspector Layton, are you not supposed to be at the Yard solving the case given to you earlier this afternoon?" she said irritably.

"See, I would, Perfetti," Potty retorted, "But my sister beat me to the punch."

Emilianna pursed her lips and gave Lady Layton a sharp look.

"And what...  _my_ _stical solution_ has your sister offered?"

"The statues are alive, hon." Okri answered her promptly. Emilianna chuckled.

"Even for  _you,_ Katrielle, that seems rather far fetched!"

"Well, guess wot Perfuck-ti!" Loopy threw an insult at the analyst, "We're pre'y fuckin' sure it's true."

"And how can you be sure?"

"Because one is  _literally at the door right now._ " Okri was looking into the hall and out the door. Before she could step forward, Emilianna yelped, her eyes glued to the corpse on the ground.

"Wh-What is the meaning of this?!" she asked, trembling ever so slightly, "Which one of you did this!?"

Loopy let out a snicker, "Funny 'ow, even though you're a criminal analyst, you don't see the dead body right away~"

There was a muffled cry outside the door, "Chihslehaaaawwww!?"

(Helloooo?)

"Shawmeenig, Shawreeootah!" Okri responded, hurrying to the door.

(Coming, Corioan!)

"Wait!" Emilianna tried to stop the Layton aunt, but to no avail. She turned to the group in the room, "What are we going to do about..." she gestured wildly to the bleeding mass, "THIS?"

Before anyone could answer, Aunt Okri returned, a peppy woman close behind. Her bright golden hair was tied up in ponytail. She dawned a bright blue tank top, paired with a white puff skirt but no shoes. Her yellow eyes appeared to shine with the light of a thousand suns, and her pale skin was almost translucent. She was quick to look at the body, puffing her cheeks up in mild annoyance.

"Deed Oolee daw tichaht?" she asked. Okri was quick to answer, "Eerihx."

(Did Um do that?)(Yes)

The bubbly woman made an odd noise of frustration, before turning to the student on the couch. She giggled.

"Deed Mawnd beetih eerawoo, gooeed?" she asked.

(Did Mond bite you, kid?)

"Eerihx, Preenishihx." Ernest answered, not even thinking about the words that came out of his mouth until he finished saying them.

(Yes, Princess)

The girl giggled again before taking a small thorn and vial out. "Naw chahrd swihsleheenigix, boot meer xiwooltihr wahntix taw ihzhoopslehawrih." she said, approaching him.

(No hard feelings, but my sister wants to explore)

Ernest gave her a concerned look before she shoved the thorn into his arm. If that didn't send the group into a controlled frenzy, it did when they saw that Ernest's blood wasn't red, but rather black. Leaving the blood covered thorn in for a while, the woman giggled again before waving to everyone. For some reason, each one of them waved back.

She soon took out the thorn and placed it in the vial, closing it tightly. Getting up, she walked over to the window, basking in the afternoon glow. She turned to everyone and waved again.

"Gawdibeerih!" She exclaimed, before dissolving into light, disappearing into thin air. Katrielle turned to Ernest.

(Goodbye!)

"Where did you learn that language?" she asked. Ernest shrugged. Okri piped in to answer her niece's question.

"Snake bite." Everyone turned to her, Emilanna only opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. Okri continued.

"That snake is Mond Tanz, the immortal pet of Ooleebroondoolee. His bite marks you as a guide for the princesses, turning your blood black until they understand the era they're in."

"What drugs were put in this room!?" Emilianna finally snapped, violently jabbing a finger into Okri's chest, "All of this defies logic, and I believe  _you're_ the one behind it!"

Okri smirked and let out a hearty, guttural laugh, "You're funny! I like you!" She exclaimed, casually brushing off the analyst's accusations. She continued.

"You think I drugged the whole room because  _you're_ the type to decline fantasy subjects? The type to not play a bit of Murderous Blue's Clues and Life or Death Cinderella? Listen sweetheart, the shit that's going down now? Oh, it's  _nothing_ compared to what might happen in the future. So I suggest you buckle the fuck up and take your logic goggles off, cause since you're here with us," she pointed to the dead woman, "You'll be made a target by things like  _her._ "

Emilianna was as pale as fresh driven snow, stealing glances at the corpse.

The room was quiet as everyone realized what the old Layton said, and it dawned on them, to their horror, that she was right.

They were all spotted together when they were attacked. And now that Perfetti was involved, she, too, was considered a threat to these ice haired people. They would hunt her, someone who had simply walked in for help with a case, until they knew she was dead.

"Does that mean..." Kat shyly whispered, "None of us are safe anymore?" Okri gave her frightened niece a slight frown.

"Yes, sweetie it does." she said pitifully, "Sleep in groups tonight, all of you. Gather knives, light fires, do the best you can to stay safe. I'm pretty sure it's obvious, but these things are brutal." she glanced at the dead one on the floor, "This one wasn't even much more than the tip of the iceberg."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Layton?" Emilianna raised a hand, putting it down once she had Okri's attention.

"Ms. Layton Senior, hon. Still single."

"Well,  _Ms. Layton Senior_ , might I ask what exactly ARE these things?"

Okri sighed.

"Ahgoobeeahn Eeshihrx. Or, in English, Akbian Icers. They're exiled Akbians that practice voodoo and ice magic, which was a banned practice and ability in Akbadain. They're also hella feral; these guys saw." she said as she looked at her family.

She turned to her nephew, "This shouldn't be too difficult for you, Al, but for the rest of you," she gestured to the others, "Try not to interact with people for more than a minute. Those things easily jump to conclusions, and talking to someone for too long makes them think they're involved. It's easy to unintentionally put a target on someone's back."

"Then should I be concerned for people like our forensic and janitor?" Alfendi asked, "I talked to them for a while."

Okri's eyes widened a little bit. "I'm not too sure," she said, "But it-"

Alfendi's phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and looked at the name.

**Pertinax**

This concerned him. Hilda almost  _never_ called him personally, at least since the first Forbodium incident.

"Why's Busty callin' ya?" Loopy asked. Placid shrugged and answered, putting the phone on speaker.

He was greeted by shallow, frightened breathing.

"Al?" came Hilda on the other line, "Al, where are you?" she asked, quietly and frantically.

"At-" Alfendi shot his aunt a look. Was he allowed to disclose where he actually was? Okri nodded, and Potty continued, "I'm at my sister's agency, why?"

"Al, we need backup! Of any kind, I don't care, but we need it!"

At this point, everyone was on edge, hearts pounding.

"Hilda what's going on over there?" Potty asked, Loopy picking up quickly on the small trembling of his voice as he spoke.

"These...  _things._..!" Hilda spat, "They-They got-!"

"Wichaht eex tichaht?"

(What is that?)

A dry, yet peppy voice spoke, loud enough to be heard on Alfendi's line.

"I-I don't understand you, I'm sorry! P-Please! S-Stay back, don't hurt me too!" they heard Hilda frantically speaking, almost shouting.

Then there were shouts in the background that sent the room into a cold sweat.

"Oi! Luv! Lemme go!"

"Shove off! Hey, mind the drip!"

_The Icers had Dustin and Florence_

In a split second, Alfendi, Loopy, and Fauna were out the door, sprinting with hard breaths towards Scotland Yard. Okri called out to them.

"Y'all, that's what the Icers  _want_ dammit!"

The trio didn't listen and only kept running, the others staying in the room.

**Split point!**   
**\---------------------**   
**A- Alfendi's party**   
**K- Katrielle's party**   
**\----------------------------------**

**(A)**

**Time- 3: 36 p.m.**

They arrived to see that a large group of Icers, perhaps 15 or 20, had swarmed the Yard, cornering every officer with chunks of sharpened ice. It didn't take long to also notice Florence and Dustin, trapped in a ring of black ice with an Icer fiercely grabbing either one by the wrist.

All pairs of piercing blue eyes suddenly turned to Alfendi, and he suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Eet eex cheem~!" A whisper came.

"Tichih awnih wichaw weesleh paheer weetich cheex sleheeswih~~!" Another responded.

(It is him~!)(The one who will pay with his life~~!)

"Let them go." Alfendi said with authority, hoping to intimidate them.

Some simply giggled while others smirked.

"Xawmihawnih eex awvihr shawnsweedihnt~"

(Someone is over confident~)

They gave wide grins, all 20 suddenly launching themselves at him. Alfendi reached for his gun before remembering he had left it in his office. Damn his forgetfulness! He panicked as the Icers' blades glistened.

He shut his eyes, hoping death would come quickly.

There were screams, but he felt no pain. It was suddenly quiet.

Was he dead?

He opened his eyes to see he was encased in a pink, translucent flower. He noticed a small hole in one of the petals, and peeked through.

His heartbeat quickened as he saw that a small handful of Icers had been impaled, through both the heart and head, with a vine, while the rest quickly dived onto the floor. He heard the voice of a woman from above, muffled from the thick petals.

"Eecheedah (Ihida), what a fuckin' pain...." it said, the flower receding back into the floor and freeing Alfendi. He turned to the woman who had spoken. She was thin, albeit looking more masculine than feminine, with scruffy short green hair and a bulkier build. She held two bladed wands, each adorned with an emerald. She gave Alfendi an irked glare.

"What exactly was your plan, bud?" she jeered, "Get your ass murdered?"

The remaining Icers snarled, 12 horrible, hair raising gargling noises echoing in the back of their throats. The green haired woman turned to them.

"Koot awp!" she shouted, "Eerawoo ahsleh kawooslehd nawt ihvihn bih chihrih!"

(Shut up!... You all should not even be here!)

She swung a blade at the ice, which shattered on contact. The two Icers inside scattered, dragging along their captives.

Suddenly, a flash of silver zipped through into the head of the Icer holding Florence, who promptly collapsed. Alfendi and the woman turned to see Loopy had thrown a knife.

"Sorry, beauties! Couldn't find th' knife quick enough." she said.

"Hey now, as long as you can throw that knife and kill, you're good!" the woman smirked. She looked back to Alfendi, "Noodle, make sure the sick girl's safe, got it? Bring her outside or something."

Clenching his teeth at the nickname 'Noodle', Alfendi crept over to Florence, whose drip had miraculously stayed in her arm.

He gently picked her up, somehow grabbing onto the drip before slipping outside unnoticed. He felt Florence stir awake.

"A-Al?" she croaked, "Wha... What happened? Where's everybody else?"

"Personally, I've no clue. Loopy and someone else are fighting the attackers, however, and I think Fauna is as well." he reassured the forensic. Actually...

Where  _was_ his sister?

He brushed the thought off, fairly confident that his sister could handle herself wherever she may be. He snuck a peek inside.

Loopy was in the air, vines holding her in place as several knives glistened in her hand. She threw one, and it swung around the room, hitting 3 targets. The green woman whooped in rapture.

"Ay now!" she cheered, "Keep it up, you're doin' great!" she suddenly spotted Alfendi by the door. She gave him a wild, childlike smile, "She with you?"

Alfendi nodded. Her grin grew.

"Keep 'er! She's a damn good shot!"

Blushing, Alfendi scanned the room to find Dustin. Everyone else had scattered when the fighting started, so it shouldn't have been a problem.

And yet, he couldn't find the Icer grasping the pale blue jumpsuit of the janitor.

"Al!"

He turned around to see the Icer, Dustin thrown over her shoulder, directly behind him, teeth bared and nails poised to strike his throat. Upon being spotted, however, she fled, sweeping Florence and her drip off the pavement.

Alfendi quickly followed, ignoring the ginger woman staring from across the street.

He ran and ran, but eventually lost sight of her and Florence.

 _My God,_ Placid thought,  _Where the hell is she going?_

**(K)**

**Time- 3:32 p.m.**

Katrielle watched her aunt, the room silent as Okri blankly stared out the door.

"Ms. Layton," Emilianna broke the silence, "Aren't you worried about your nephew?"

"Al?" she let out a short burst of laughter, "That shinless, noodly body's a lot tougher than it looks, Alfendi can handle himself! As long as he doesn't panic, he'll be good."

Emilianna nodded and Ernest began to sit up. Okri snapped her fingers.

" _ **Greeves.**_ " she growled it as a warning. Ernest turned to look at her, still sitting,  and the group panicked.

One eye was, yet again, guzzling black by the gallon, while the other remained normal. No constricting, no dilating. Just his normal pupil size.

"No, no, it's fine Ms. Layton Senior, I feel fantastic!" he said.

Katrielle pointed to her left eye, "You may feel that way, but you certainly don't  _look_ that way!"

"What do you mean, Ms. Layton?"

"Are you joking? Your eye is going berserk again!"

Ernest's hand immediately went up to his face, fingers getting coated in the black goop. He pulled his hand away instinctively, and it trailed from his cheek like a sick, disgusting slime. Flora, cautiously reached out her hand, taking a bit of slime with her finger and putting it up to her nose. She sniffed it.

"Odd..." she mused, "It doesn't smell like anything." she looked at the gang. "Wish me luck." she said before putting the slimed finger in her mouth; almost everyone made some noise of distress.

She kept the stuff in her mouth for a while, face neutral until she grabbed a tissue and spat it out.

"Doesn't taste weird either; although I could've sworn I tasted a hint of blood in there."

"Would that not be something to, I don't know, perhaps  _worry about?!_ " Emilianna urged. Okri raised her hand to wave it off.

"Not really. The stuff's part of his bloodstream, but it's not his actual blood per say. Of course, it's obviously a thicker consistency, so it has a bit of trouble integrating itself in." she said. When she only received odd looks in response, she sighed, "So it's his blood, but at the same time it's not. It's more of an unnecessary blood donation that he (prolly) neither wanted nor needed."

Ernest pointed to the dripping streaks of black. "So, if I understand correctly, this is nothing more than a blood overflow? There's too much, so it's releasing itself?"

"Yeah. Just be glad it's not coming out your mouth or your ass." Okri instinctively reached to caress the latter, "Had that happen once when I met an Akbian mercenary... NOT fun."

Katrielle and Flora giggled.

"However," Okri's tone grew much more serious, "While it's not a personal threat, we should throw caution to the wind. If you're suddenly spilling black, that could mean something's nearby."

Flora's ears perked up at the phrase "spilling black".

"You used to tell Alfendi that..." she said, "Whenever someone we didn't know came to the cottage; 'Now don't go spilling black, Alfendi.'"

"Oh yeah!" Katrielle chirped, "You told me that too, sometimes! Never explained it though..."

"Well," Okri took a deep breath,"When Ahgoobiahn Kahdihx, Akbian Shades, sense a threat, they start leaking black from an orifice, usually the eyes. But there were some that were complete nervous wrecks, like the ones with social anxiety. So even if there wasn't an immediate threat, they'd spew the black blood. That's why, whenever Al thought there was a threat when it was really an old friend, I told him to not 'spill black'."

Katrielle looked at her assistant.

"Ernest, now would be the time to tell us if you have anxiety."

Ernest shook his head.

"Wait a doggone minute!" Sherl barked, "How come Pinstripes isn't shaking like he was before?"

"Prolly because he's gotten used to it and the toxicity. It's mixed and molded to fit both his blood flow and blood type." Okri answered the pooch, "Call it a part of him now, if you will."

The front door suddenly opened, Okri whipping out a Bowie knife from her bag and holding it near her chest. No sooner was it out before it was flung across the room, pinning itself against the wall near Flora. Okri immediately relaxed.

"Slehahdeer Shayewoolt, a wahrneenig nihzhoot teemih wawooslehd bih swahntawoolteesh." she said rather irked. The door closed, and a woman's shadow stretched across the floor, rising to form the hooded woman, a thick black scarf round her neck.

(Lady Ciest, a warning next time would be fantastic.)

"Slehahdeer Slehaheertawn, Ee bihslehayevih eet eex eerawoor lawb taw goonawweh wichaw eex ahreeveenig..."

(Lady Layton, I believe it is your job to know who is arriving...)

"Who are you?" Emilianna gave the princess a hostile glare. Ooleebroondoolee turned to the analyst, face devoid of emotion. The scarf began moving and spoke to Emilianna.

"Ssomeone you besst resspect..." a snake head rose out of the scaly mass to look at Emilianna, who turned pale and began trembling.

"Al-Alright, why does the snake talk?" she asked Okri.

"Mawnd Tahns, koot awp." Okri ignored Perfetti, instead responding to the snake, "Kih eex a beet deexawrayentihd. A slehawgeeshahsleh pihrxawn, eerawoo xih."

(Mond Tanz, shut up.) (She is a bit disoriented. A logical person, you see.)

The reptile hissed in acknowledgment as Oolee turned to Ernest. After seeming to inspect him for a moment, she snapped her fingers.

Ernest stood up and immediately got on one knee, as if the snap were more of an order than a gesture. His left arm went to his opposite shoulder, grasping it loosely as he held his right palm over his heart.

"Swawr eerawoo ahnd Ahgoobahdaheen Ee wooltahnd." he said, in tone much more menacing than normal.

(For you and Akbadain I stand)

Oolee snapped again, and Ernest stood up once more; one eye dripping black while the other constricted and dilated rapidly.

"Chahndslehih tichihm..." she said, before glancing at Katrielle, "Eerawoor slehahdeerx sleheeswih dihpihndix awn eet."

Blushing, Ernest nodded, "Eet kahsleh bih dawnih."

(Handle them) (Your lady's life depends on it)...(It shall be done)

Oolee, with a noise close to contempt, disappeared into shadows as the only other door was destroyed.

**Split point end**

Alfendi finally caught up with the kidnapping Icer, tracking it all the way to his sister's agency.

He saw the door busted, and feared for the worst as he peered inside.

There, both eyes dripping black, stood Ernest.

He stood between Katrielle and an Icer that, from the looks of it, had launched at him (or at the very least, Al's sister).

He was seizing it by the wrists as it squirmed in his grasp, Florence and Dustin dropped on the floor.

The Icer raised a foot to kick the boy in the shins, but was a tad late as Ernest twisted his body, swinging the woman  with what must have been enhanced strength.

She landed with a loud thud against the wall, a slight crack eliciting from her spine.

"Pinstripes! What on earth are you doing!?" Sherl barked in a frenzy.

Ernest did not listen, however, as his hand darted to grab a shard of glass from the previous Icer incident, the piece slicing his palm and staining itself with black blood. He creeped towards the twitching body, raising the impromptu blade over his head and aiming for the creature's heart.

Katrielle stepped forward, perhaps to try and stop him, but both Alfendi and Okri grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"Xaw eerawoo wawooslehd rahtichihr wahtishich cheem gooeesleh mih tichahn wooltawp cheem..." The Icer croaked as Ernest plunged the glass shard into her chest, a spray of indigo blood coating and staining his top and hands.

(So you would rather watch him kill me than stop him...)

Ernest turned to Katrielle, gaping at him in horror and discomfort, and bowed, both hands behind his back.

"Gawd wawrgoo. Rihwoolt, baweer." Okri told him, pointing to the sofa. Ernest, understanding the command, laid back down on the couch, his eyelids fluttering shut as Loopy and the green haired woman came in.

Okri practically yanked the forensic and janitor off the floor, promptly waking them up. She then searched her bag and fished out two shoddy pendants. She gave one to each of them, sternly speaking as they began to focus on her.

"Put these on and head straight home. Don't stop to talk to anyone, call saying you can't come in to work for a while, and pick up food if you have to because this could take a hell of a long time before you can step out y'all's houses again."

She looped the necklaces around their necks as they nodded and began walking home without a word. As they left, Fauna walked in.

"Al, where the fuck did you leave your gun??" she immediately asked.

"On my desk Fauna! Is that honestly why you were missing for half the danger!?" Potty shouted in disdain. Fauna raised an eyebrow and barked back.

"Duh, genius! I was gonna run and get it for you so you could actually kill somethin', but I couldn't find it in the fucking tornado wreckage you've called your office!"

"You do need to clean your office, Al." Kat agreed. Her brother simply gestured to her messy desk in response.

Suddenly, there was a click, and Loopy yelped, "Uh, love, would  _really_ appreciate it if ya would put tha' thin' down!"

"Chill, hotshot, just wanna see what it does!"

Everyone turned and panicked to see the green haired girl gently holding a gun. Alfendi stared at it before doing a late double take.

"Now hold up one minute, that's  _my_ gun!" Placid exclaimed. The girl's attention snapped to him.

"Cool! What's toe di- What dots- Towhat-" she stopped speaking, sick of her own stumbling tongue. She stared into space, face disheartened before shoving the gun into Alfendi's hands. "SHOW."

Taking the firearm, he cocked it before aiming at the corpse by the window and pulling the trigger.

_BANG!_

A new hole appeared in the Icer's head instantly. The green girl jumped, frightened before grinning.

"Damn!" she breathed, "A tiny death bringer!"

"Slehahdeer Green, Ee  _rihahsleheer_ ticheengoo eerawoo kawooslehd giht bashgoo taw eerawoor xiwooltihrx." Okri told the woman rather urgently.

(Lady Grin, I  _really_ think you should get back to your sisters)

The lady groaned before grabbing something from her pocket and tossing it to Flora. The latter opened her hand to see a little flower bell.

"You seem safe. Just give that thing a ring an' I'll be there quick as I can. Name's Veerdahn by the way. Veerdahn Green."

With those parting words, Veerdahn wrapped the Icer corpses in vines before leaping out the window with them.

Ernest was suddenly back up again, eyes perfectly normal. He raised an eyebrow in utter confusion.

"I..." He said rather puzzled, "I was sitting up... Why am I lying back down on the couch?"

"Don't worry bout it, Greeves." Okri quickly said, looking at the nearby clock.

Almost 6

"It's getting late, and we're gonna have to choose groups to sleep in."

Alfendi grabbed Lucy, "I'm taking Lou and none of y'all can stop me."

Fauna smirked, "A'ight, then Auntie can go with ya an' make sure ya don't get too stupid~"

Potty let out a short burst of laughter, "HA! Oh my  _sweet_...  _dear_...  _innocent_ older sister... You CLEARLY have not known Auntie Okri that long because she would NOT discourage that ooOOOOHHHH no she'd force me and Lou into a closet fulla aphrodisiacs if it meant a chance at grand nieces and nephews."

"This is true." Okri confirmed with a cheeky, satisfied smile, "And I totally would, Alfendi, thank you for the idea. Although, Fauna, I think you should go with them. It's easier if we stick to familiar groups. Of course..." everyone looked at Emilianna.

"I'll go with the elder Layton." She said in a rather condescending tone, "That way, Katrielle can have her little dream team."

Okri nodded, "Good! Cause then that means I can take you and Flora and protect the weaker links in this dysfunctional chain."

Flora huffed playfully, "Hey now!" she exclaimed. Alfendi smirked.

"It's true~"

"Really now? Then please explain how I can nearly beat your skinny shinless ASS Mr. Noodly Noodle Legs."

" **Now you fucking take that back, missy, see here, you may be older, BUT I-** "

"Alfendi Layton, cool your man tits," Okri joked, "Let's just get ready to leave. Lou, you might wanna call your momma and siblings. From what I've eavesdropped, you prolly don't wanna make them targets again, am I right?"

Lou blinked once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Wh-What?"

"I said-"

Okri was interrupted by the poor DC's high pitched squeak.

"M-! M-M-M-Mr. Alfendi!?" she panicked, "Wh-Who are-!"

Potty grabbed his assistant tightly, holding her close and petting her hair.

"There there, calm down dear..." he cooed, "Family and friends, Lucille, no need to fret..."

"My, Alfendi!" Okri chirped, "You were never this calm with  _any_  of us unless you were your trauma made self!"

"Auntie, I'm gonna have to politely ask you to HUSH."

"A-Al, where are we? We-We were jus' at my folks' place, r-right?"

"Yes, love, but we got called to work." Alfendi pointed to his family, "Those are my sisters, Flora and Katrielle (Lucy's actually Kat's friend), my sister's friends, Ernest and Sherl, and my Aunt, Okri Lay-"

"A-Aunt!? Ohgolly I'm so sorry! I 'aven't brushed my 'air, I din't get ta shower this mornin', oh god golly I prolly look like a right awful mess!"

"Oh no, honey, you're fine!" Okri crossed over and gave Barde a gentle hug, "You look fine and dandy, just beautiful!" Potty smiled before he noticed his aunt giving him a very fierce glare, mouthing:

_YOU BETTER FUCKING KEEP HER_

He flushed for a split second before taking hold of Lucille again. "Luce," he said, "You might not like what I'm about to explain to you... Do you still want an explanation?"

Lucille gave a shy little giggle. "Well, I kinda need one t'understand wot's goin' on, don't I?"

Potty smiled and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

"We just met a few ancient princesses, and we're being targeted by some psychos who hate them. My aunt dragged us into this, by the way; you need to call your family and tell them you won't be home for a while because if you go to them, they'll become targets too."

Poor Lucille slowly went pale and wide eyed, only nodding and reaching towards the phone in response.

"So that's set in stone?" Flora asked, "It's Lucy, Al and Fauna; Kat, Ernest and Sherl; and me, Emilianna and Auntie. Right?"

Nothing was said, so presumably that was the plan.

"Then, let's get a move on." Al said, "The girls and I'll go to my apartment, where I can call in to temporarily check out of work; Kat, you and your group can stay here at your agency (Ernest, you might want to call your school); and..." he looked to his aunt, "Auntie, do you have a hotel room? Or some other place to stay?"

Okri nodded, "Mhm! Bout a good 30 minute walk away from here though, so girls, you better fucking deal with it and work those calves!"

"Understood, captain..." Emilianna muttered.

"I'll start setting up the agency to be lodging." Katrielle said, "We'll also have to close temporarily..."

"Aren't you forgetting something, Kit Kat?" Sherl asked accusingly.

"What do you mean?"

Flora chuckled. "Perhaps he means your...  _healthy_  appetite?"

Katrielle huffed. "Then how about you watch Lucy? I don't know about Loopy or Lucille, but I know Lucy eats as much as I do!"

"Lucille, ya don't gotta worry bout!" Fauna piped up, "She can eat an apple that'll last her till dinner, where she eats, like, a fuckin', half a ham sandwich.  _Loopy's_  the foodie time bomb you have to worry about!"

"How so?" Placid asked.

"It's always random." Fauna started, "Some days she'll eat less than Lucille, others she'll eat twice as much as Lucy."

"So, just gather food as if it's the start of the apocalypse."

"Yes. Although you technically could also sign up for delivery."

"Or just have them eat the minimal god-knows-what you eat!" Okri exclaimed before taking a sip of water.

"Understood, pray my wallet can handle it."

Lucille suddenly came back.

"I-I'm done! I-I-I also gave mum th' kids feedin' schedule, Fauna, case ya were wonderin'..."

"Oh, shit, thanks Lou!"

Lucille shifted shyly in response.

"So are we finally done?" Emilianna queried, "We seem to have been discussing this for a lot longer than expected."

"Yes, Ms. Impaziente (*impatient in Italian*), we are  _finally_ done. We can go on over to your place and grab whatever shit you need. And Kat?"

"Yes?" Her niece asked, already pulling a blanket out of her desk.

"Smotret' na nego." Okri glanced at Ernest, "Ubedites' chto on v bezopasnosti."

Kat nodded, "Sa'afeal, aleima."

Okri gave the boy another short glance. "Kare ha sotodashi you tosuru deshou. Kono mondai ga hassei shi ta baai, kare o ki ka se te. Seguirlo."

"We'll be  _fine_ , Auntie. And don't you worry, I'll be sure to."

**Russian: Watch him. Make sure he's safe.**

**Arabic: I will, aunt**

**Japanese/Spanish: He will try to go outside. If that happens, let him./Follow him.**

The large group dispersed, each trio going out a couple of minutes between each other and leaving Kat's group in the agency. Ernest turned to his mentor.

"You speak Arabic?" he inquired. Katrielle nodded.

"And Russian, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, the list could go on forever and ever." She handed the blanket in her hand to Ernest, "Aunt Okri taught us a lot of languages whenever Dad was on an adventure. Alfendi and Fauna spent a lot of time with her, so they'd know a more about her activities, but I do remember the particular lesson she gave me in archery!"

"Arch- I'm sorry WHAT." Ernest went wide eyed. Katrielle waved a hand to brush it off, "I'll show you some other day! Don't worry! For now, let's get to bed; we'll need it for tomorrow."

Not another word was said throughout the evening. Not while they disposed of the Icer corpses, not while they fixed the doors, not while dinner was had, not even while setting up camp in the office. In fact, the only time words were exchanged seemed to be when Ernest had a sudden blood overflow, and even then, barely much was said.

When it was time for lights out, Ernest suddenly felt very uncomfortable, like an iron ball of dread was just plopped into his stomach. He contemplated consulting with Miss Layton, but, against his better judgement, decided not to.

Slowly, he shut his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful dreamland.

**Time- 1:32 a.m.**

Katrielle awoke with a start, jolting up to the sound of a hand hitting glass. She turned to see Ernest, just standing in front of the door and tapping it with his palm. Remembering what her Aunt Okri said, Kat got up and opened the door, noticing how her assistant's face was pale and lifeless, black smudges everywhere.

Ernest simply ignored the gesture, walking outside as Katrielle followed at a fair distance behind. She crept in the shadows as he entered an alleyway. Standing behind a dumpster, she saw Ernest be approached by six women.

The statues she had been looking at just earlier that day...

She strained to hear what was said, but the voices only seemed to lower and lower until it was silent. Instead, she watched as they extracted black blood from the boy's eyes, putting it in a glass vial before the princess with crimson hair took a sip. It was then passed around: Oolee, then orange haired princess, Veerdahn, the blue princess, and finally Shawreeootah.

Katrielle suddenly felt woozy, swaying back and forth. Taking her aunt's mentality, she supposed she had seen too much. Slowly, her vision went black as she felt herself collapse.

**A/N: Kay, lemme know a few things in the comments:**

**1\. Was this chapter okay? Be honest please! I just honestly feel a little iffy since I feel like I was forcing comedy and honestly feel like this was slapped together in the end.**

**2\. I've wanted to know for a while, but what are your thoughts on the current cast/my interpretation of canon characters? What were your thoughts on the LB:DC cast? I really would like to know!**

**But anyway, if you're still sticking with the story, thank you for dealing with my laziness and lack of keeping interest in absolutely anything**


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